Tony Romm, tech policy reporter for the Washington Post, says that there is a presumption among conservatives that the political leanings of these social media executives affect the way they handle the platforms.

“Silicon Valley is nestled right in the heart of the San Francisco Bay Area, which is a predominantly liberal area,” he says.

Romm says the companies have denied any political censoring, but even the perception of bias has led them to act. “It’s important for Facebook and Twitter to present themselves as neutral platforms,” he says.

The reporter also explains that the CEOs are motivated to take action because conservatives are in political power. “They are afraid of regulation,” Romm says. “Lawmakers wanted to take swipes at a company like Facebook or Twitter.”